He said the 5.5-ton Kh-22 missiles, when used in ground attacks with conventional warheads, are extremely inaccurate and can cause serious collateral damage and casualties. Russia is likely to use such weapons because it does not have more accurate modern missiles, the British Ministry of Defense said in a daily update. Russian forces are concentrating their efforts on occupying the entire eastern part of Ukraine’s coal mines and factories, known as the Donbas. The region borders Russia and is controlled in part by Moscow-backed separatists since 2014. Civilians are fleeing heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine as Russian and Ukrainian forces engage in a fierce battle for control of key cities in the industrial heart of the country. The report said that the Ukrainian air defense continues to prevent Russian regular aircraft from carrying out strikes in much of the country.
Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed.
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